Selective rotary control means



March 5, 1940.

IIIIIIIIIIIII G. F. BEHRINGER SELECTIVE ROTARY CONTROL MEANS Filed April 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllllll Snventor Graver fi'fiehr/hger Ctttomeg8 March 1940- G. F. BEHRINGER 2,192,393

SELECTIVE ROTARY CONTROL MEANS Filed April 19, 1939. 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WEEHFWZE m mu I Isnnentor Grover Behr/hyer W3M attorneys S. 9 0- G. F. B EHRINGER 2,192,393

SELECTIVE ROTARY CONTROL MEANS Filod A ril 19. 1939 s Sheets-Sheets III/II,

mlinnnnnnnnnn n n I v I 3nnentor II "l Grover FBe/mhger llllll ml [11] 8B flux/263M 5 Ctttomegs Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I SELECTIVE ROTARY CONTROL MEANS Grover-F. Behringer, Defiance, Ohio, assignor to The American Steel Package Company. Defiance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 19, 1939;- Serial No. 268,785

12 Claims. (01. 74-10) a This invention relates primarily to radio tuning devices, and particularly to those of the push button actuator type, whereby the I associated radio receiving set may be accurately and selectively tuned for a plurality of predetermined radio frequencies or transmitting stations and any one of such pre-selected frequencies thereafter selected by merely pressing a respective push button therefor. The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and eflicient tuning means of this character, which is simple, compact and inexpensive in its construction, and is particularly adapted for use in inexpensive radio receiving sets, but is not restricted to such use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings illustrating several embodiments thereof, in so which-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a variable condenser with several tuning units embodying the invention associated therewith, and all in normal position; Fig. 2 is a' fragmentary section on 25 the line 2--2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 33 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig.2, with the rotor shaft turned to a diflerent tuning position, preparatory to adlusting the control unit to such adjusted posi- 30 tion of the rotor shaft; Fig. 5. is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the locking means for the unit released and with the yoke forced into a position in which both runs of the shaft connecting tape are drawn taut; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5,

35 with the control unit in normally retracted position and locked for the tuning adjustment shown in Fig. 5 and with the rotor shaft turned partially from such tuned positions; Figs. '7 and 8 are end and side elevations, respectively, of an- 40 other application of the invention, with a part in the former broken away; Figs. 9arid 10 are sections on the lines 9-4 and Iii-.40, respectively, in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a section on the line I ll l in Fig. 10, with a part in full; Figs. 12 and 13 are top and side views, respectively, of another application of the invention; Fig. 14 is a, plan view of a modification of the invention; Fig. 15 is a section on the line 15-45 in Fig. 14, with a part broken away, and Fig. 16-is a similar section with the control unit extended to the limit from normal retracted position.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, l designates a variable condenser, such as used in radio receiving sets, a nd in the present instance of the two-gang type. This condenser includes so that the yoke may have limited lengthwise slot IS.

a frame 2 having spaced and members 3, 3, a rotor shaft 4 journaled in the frame ends and projecting from one or both ends thereof, as desired, and one or more sets of rotor plates 5 I mounted on the shaft and interleaving with stator 5 plates 6 of respective sets fixed to the frame, as well understood in the art. One end of the rotor shaft may be provided with or connectedto a manual control-knob I to permit manual turn-- ing of the condenser in the usual or any suitable manner.

One form of control means embodying the present invention is shown as including four units l0, each adjusted and operable in connection I with the rotor shaft 4 to turn it to proper tuned relation to a predetermined frequency, two of these units being mounted on one end and two on the other of the shaft. All, however, may be mounted on one end of the shaft, if desired.

The control units I0 are carried at each end 20 of the condenser by a bracket plate H attached to and fixedly projecting from an edge of the respective frame end 3. The end edge from which the bracket projects depends on the position of the condenser in the receiving set and the side of the set from which the controls are operated. In some cases, the controls may be at the front and in some cases at the top or at an end. of the set.

Each control unit It includes a U-shaped yoke l5 having its legseach provided with a longitudinally extending slot l6 through which the respective end of the rotor shaft 4 loosely extends,

reciprocatory movements crosswise of the shaft.

It is preferable, though not necessary, to provide the shaft with annular recesses for receiving the edges of the slot Walls. When this is done, one end of each slot is enlarged sufficiently, as shown at We, to permit a threading of the shaft there through. Such enlargement is normally out-ofregister with the shaft.

A short secondary shaft I1 is rotatably mounted in the outer end of each yoke I5, being journaled at its ends in bearing openings provided in the yoke legs beyond the outer ends of the This shaft is shouldered against the inner sides of the legs of yoke I5 and assembled therebetween by springing said legs outwardly as required. An endless tape or loop member 20 extends around and connects the rotor shaft 4 and short shaft I1 and is fixedly attached in spaced relation to each, as shown by pins 2! and 22, respectively, the length of the tape at each 55 side of the shaft, when the pins are in alignment,

being substantially equal, as best shown in Fig. 2. The tape may be of any suitable pliant or flexible material, which is not of a resilient nature, and which, therefore, itself does not exert any turning pressure on the shaft 22. It is found that fabric tape. of the type used in measuring tapes is suitable for'the purpose, inasmuch as it is nonstretchable and freely pliant.

A U-shaped look yoke for the short shaft I! of the unit is mounted within the yoke l5 between its inner end and the short shaft i1, and has a slot 26 in each leg receiving the rotor shaft 4 to permit it to have reciprocatory movements with the yoke l5 crosswise of the rotor shaft. The outer ends of the legs of the locking yoke 25' are adapted to seat against the shaft l1, being recessed for such purpose, and are held in yielding frictional engagement therewith by a spring 21 interposed between the loop portions of the two yokes, a slight space being provided therebetween for such purpose.

The loop end of the main yoke l5 has a tubular stem 30 projecting outward therefrom through a registering guide opening 3| in the bracket plate II. -A screw stem 32 is threaded through the stem 30 and is adapted to have its inner end projected into the looped end of the yoke l5 in thrust coaction with the loop end of the look. yoke 25 to force the legs of the latter intofirm locking engagement with the short shaft II. A push button 33 is fixed to the outer end of the screw stem 32 and is turnable to effect rotation of the screw. A coiled expansion spring 35 encircles the yoke stem 30 with its inner end bearing against the outer side of the bracket plate H and its outer end fixed to the stem. This spring serves to normally retain the yoke l5 retracted against said plate. a

In effecting an adjustment of a control umt III with respect to the rotor shaft, so that a pushing-in of a respective control button 33 to the limit of its stroke will turn the rotor of the condenser to adjust the receiver to the frequency of a predetermined broadcasting station, the condenser is first adjusted by a manual turning of the rotor shaft through the knob I, or in the usual or any desired way, to position the rotor in proper relation with the stator element to pro vide the required capacity. The rotor is then hel firmly in this adjusted position until the bu ton 33 and screw stem 32 of the desired control unit has been turned back to release the rigid locking engagement of the lock yoke 25 with the short shaft l1 and until. such push button has been forced inward to the limit of its stroke. This latter movement of the push button forces the two yokes l5 and 25 inward crosswise of the shaft 4 until the loops of the band 20 at each side of the shaft 4 have been drawn taut, such action effecting a turning of the short shaft l1, so that it assumes a proper adjusted relation to the shaft 4. This turning of the shaft I1 is permitted by reason of the light frictional engagement only of the lock yoke 25 therewith. For instance, if the rotor is in the adjusted position shown by the rotor plates 5 in Fig.4, and the tape loop is shorter at the lower than at the lipper side of the two shafts, as indicated, it is apparent that when the yoke i5 is forced inward with the yoke 25 in unlocked frictional engagement with the short shaft I 1, such shaft will be caused to turn to the position shown in Fig. 5 to enable both loops of the tape to be drawn taut, as

shown in such latter figure. The operator may then turn the push button 33 and attached screw stem to the right to effect a firm locking engagement of. the locking yoke 25 with the shaft I 1 to hold it-in such' turned adjusted relation to the yoke, or such locking may be effected in the same manner after the yoke I 5 has returned to its normal position. The frictional engagement of the locking yoke 25 with the shaft, by reason of the spring 21, is sumcient to yieldingly hold such shaft in adjusted position, so that it will not accidentally be displaced from such position until it has been locked by a turning-in of the screw 32.

control units employed, each push button may be operated to tune in the radio frequency or station for which the respective unit is set.

It is apparent that this tuning device comprises comparatively. few parts, so that one or more units may be added to a condenser at a small cost for each unit,-and also that each unit may be easily and quickly adjusted to suit any desired tuned position of the condenser and to repeatedly turn the rotor to such tuned position when the respective push button is depressed, and also that such adjustment may be effected from without the receiving set.

While I have described the direct application of the control to a variable condenser, it is obvious that this control is equally suitable for rotatably moving, to pre-selected fixed angular positions within an are not to exceed 180, the rotor element of any sort of instrument or mechanism such as a variable inductance or a variable resistance, wherein the variations in inductance or resistance is effected by angular displacement of a rotor element. This is illustrated in Figs. 7-

to 11, wherein a control embodying the invention is shown as operating on a shaft which is separate from but drivingly connected to the rotor shaft of a variable condenser.

In this application of the invention, 40 is the condenser having the frame 4| and rotor shaft 42 journaled therein. The control means is shown as including a U-shaped mounting frame 43 fixedly attached to the condenser frame: and having a, control shaft 44 journaled therein in spaced parallel relation to the rotor shaft 42. The driving connection between the shafts 42 and 44, in the present instance, includes a peripherally grooved pulley 45 on each shaft and a belt 46 of cord form therebetween. This belt is maintained taut by having a portion 46 looped within the pulley through an opening in its periphery and connected to a coiled contractile spring 41 anchored within'the pulley, as shown in Fig. 10. The frame 43 of the control is shown as having four separate control units 48 mounted therein and operable to selectively impart predetermined turning movements to the shaft 44 in the same manner as described for the units ID in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

' Itis obvious that the rotary movement of the primary shaft of the control may be transformed to a' linear movement, whereby elements of any form of mechanism may be shifted back and forth to pro-selected linear positions. This is illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, wherein the control is of the same general construction as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 11, except that the motion 73 communicated to the actuated device is of a linear instead of a rotary nature.

In this application, 50 is the control or primary shaft having the several selectively operable control units 5| operatively connected thereto in the same manner as the units H] of the first described. The device to be operated may comprise a variable resistance or inductance means 52 having a resistance or inductance coil 53 and a core 54 movable therein. The core, in the present instance, is the movable member and is connected at opposite ends to a belt or cable 55 extended around and connecting a pulley 56 on the shaft 50 and an idler pulley 51. Two of such variable devices are shown as connected to and operated by the shaft 50.

In the forms of the invention previously described, the operating connection of each control unit with the primary or control shaft is such that the shaft can be turned thereby not to exceed In some instances of use, however, it is desirable to be able to turn such shaft through a greater arc than 180. To accomplish this, the primary and secondary shafts of the control, which in Figs. 1 to 6 are the shafts 4 and II, respectively, are made of different diameters at the points of connection of the operating tapes therewith, the latter being the larger, and giving the tape one or more turns around the former from the point of fixed connection therewith. This movement of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 14 to 16 in which 60 is the carrying frame, 6| the control or primary shaft and 52 the separate selectively operable control units therefor. Each of these units is of the same general construction and operation as the units III in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, except that the secondary shaft 63, which corresponds to the shaft I0 in the first form, is twice the diameter of the primary shaft 6| at the points of attachment of the pliant connecting member thereto. This member is preferably in the form of a cord 54 and is wrapped once around the primary shaft so that it may be rotated through any predetermined arc of a circle by pushing the control unit into the taut position of the cord, as shown in Fig. 16. It will be understood, of course, that the degree of arcuate movement of the primary shaft depends on the adjusted position of the respective secondary shaft 63.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. In a tuning device for a radio receiver or the like, a tuning element, a shaft for operating said element, a second shaft, a control member rotatably carrying said second shaft and reciprocally movable crosswise of said first shaft to vary the spacing therebetween, a pliant member forming an endless loop around said shafts and fixedly connected to each, said pliant member having a loose run at least at one side of the shaft connection when said control member is in retracted position and being drawn taut by movement of said member from retracted position and causing a turning of said second shaft to equalize the distance between the points of connection of the pliant member with the shafts to suit a pre-selected position of said first shaft,

and means for locking the second shaft in adjusted relation to its carrying member.

2. In a tuning device for a radio receiver or the like, a tuning element, a shaft for operating said element, a control member mounted for reciprocatory movements transverse to the axis of said shaft and normally standing in retracted position, a second shaft rotatably carried by said control member parallel to the first shaft and adjacent thereto when the control member is in retracted position, a pliant member wrapped around said shafts and having fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side of said connections when the control member is in retracted position, said second shaft being turned by the pliant member to suit an adjusted position of the first shaft and to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member is moved to the limit of its movement from retracted position, and means for locking the second shaft in adjusted position to cause repeated operating movements of the control member to move the first shaft to the same tuned position.

3. In a tuning device for a radio receiver, or the like, a tuning element, a shaft for operating said element, a control member mounted for reciprocatory movements transverse to the axis of said shaft and normally standing in retracted position, a second shaft rotatably carried by said control member parallel to the first shaft and adjacent thereto when the control member is in retracted position, a pliant member looped around said shafts and having fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side of said connections when the control member is in retracted position, said second shaft being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the first shaft and to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member is moved to the limit from its retracted position, means carried by said control member and normally operable to yieldingly hold the second shaft in adjusted position relative to the control member, and means coacting with said last means and operable to hold it in looking engagement with said second shaft.

4. In a control device of the class described, a shaft, a U-shaped yoke reciprocally movable crosswise of said shaft and normally standing in retracted position, a second shaft carried by said yoke parallel to said first shaft and movable therefrom when the control member is moved from retracted position, a pliant member looped around said shafts and having fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side thereof when the control member is in retracted position, said second shaft being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the first shaft and to render both runs of the pliant member taut when the control member is moved to the limit of its movement from retracted position, and means associated with the yoke and operable to lock the second shaft in adjusted position.

5. In a control device of the class described, a shaft, a U-shaped yoke reciprocally movable crosswise of said shaft and normally standing in retracted position, a second shaft carried by said yoke parallel to said first shaft and movable therefrom when the control member is moved from retracted position, a pliant member looped around said shafts and having fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side thereof when the control member is in retracted position, said second shaft being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the first shaft and to render both runs of the pliant member taut when the control member is moved to the limit of its movement from retracted position, means carried by said yoke and yieldingly engaging said second shaft to frictionally hold it in adjusted position, and means operable from without the yoke to hold said friction means in firm locking engagement with the second shaft.

6. In a control device of the class described, a shaft, a U-shaped yoke reciprocally movable crosswise of said shaft and normally-standing in retracted position, a second shaft carried by said yoke parallel tofsaid first shaft and movable therefrom when the control member is moved from retracted position, a pliant member looped around said shafts and having fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side thereof when the control member is in retracted position, said second shaft being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the first shaft and to render both runs of the pliant member taut when the control member is moved to the limit of' its movement from retracted position, means carried by the'yoke and yieldingly engaging the second shaft to fric-' tionally hold it in adjusted position, and means connected to and serving as a movement control for the control member and operable to hold said first means in firm locking engagement with said second shaft.

7. In a control device of the class described, a shaft, a plurality of control units for said shaft, each operable to turn the shaft to a predetermined tuned position, each of said units comprising a control member reciprocally movable transverse to said shaft, a rotatable element carried by said control member with its axis parallel to and spaced from said shaft, means normally retaining the control member in a position with the rotatable element adjacent to the shaft, a pliant member looped around said shaft and rotatable element and having a fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side thereof when the control member is in normal position,

said rotatable element being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the shaft and to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member is moved to the limit of its movement from normal,

member, whereby each operating movement of the control member will move said shaft to a predetermined adjusted position.

8. In a control device of the class described, a shaft, a plurality of control units for said shaft, each operable to turn the shaft to a predetermined selected position, each of said units comprising a control member reciprocally movable transverse to said shaft, a rotatable element carried by said control member with its axis parallel to and spaced from said shaft, means normally retaining the control member in a position with the rotatable element adjacent to the shaft, a pliant member looped around said shaft and rotatable element and having a fixed connection thereof when the control member is in normal position, said rotatable element being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the shaft and to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member .aioaaes i v is moved to the limit of its movement from normal position, means carried by the control member and acting to yieldingly engage the rotatable element to frictionally hold it in adjusted posifor said shaft, each operable to turn the shaft to a predetermined selected position, each unit including a control member reciprocally movable transversely of the shaft and normally standing in retracted position, a rotatable element carried by said control member with its axis parallel to the shaft axis, a pliant member connecting said shaft and rotatable element and having afixed connection with each with a loose run at least at'one side thereof when the control member is in retracted position, said rotatable element being turned by the pliant member to suit a predetermined selected position of the shaft and to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member is moved to the limit of its retracted position, a push button having a stem in threaded engagement with said control member,means carried by the control member and having light frictional engagement with the rotatable element to yieldingly hold it in adjusted position, and a push button for said control'member having a stem in adjustable engagement therewith and being operable to cause said means to firmly engage said rotatable ele-- ment to hold it in adjusted position.

10. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a control member mounted for reciprocatory movements transverse to the axis of said shaft and normally standing in retracted position, an angularly adjustable part carried by said control member adjacent to said shaft when the control member is in retracted position, a pliant member looped around said shaft and part and having fixed connection with each with a loose run at least at one side of said connections when the control member is in retracted position, said part being turned by the pliant member to suit a selected position of the shaft and to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member is moved to the limit from its retracted position, and means for locking said part in adjusted position to cause repeated operating movements of the control member to move the shaft to the sameselected position.

11. In a device of the class described, a primary shaft, a control member mounted for reciprocatory movements transverse to the axis of said shaft and normally standing in retracted position, a second shaft rotatably carried by said control member parallel to the first shaft and adjacent thereto when the control member is in retracted position, said shafts having transverse ly opposed portions of different diameters with that of the first shaft the smaller, a pliant member extending around and connecting said shaft portions with a fixed connection with each and with a loop around the first shaft, said pliant member having a loose run at least at one side of said shaft connections when the control member is in retracted position, said second shaft being turned by the pliant member to suit a set positionqof tlie first shaft and .to render the pliant member taut at both sides thereof when the control member ismoved to the limit of its movement from retracted position, and means for locking of said shaft and part and having a pair of loops spaced by and connecting the shaft and part and relatively varied in length by a turning of either,

- and means for holding said part in angularly adjusted position whereby a movement of the control means to draw said loops taut causes a predetermined turning of the shaft.

GROVER F. BEHRJNGER. 

